Elevator control system



Aug. 23, 1932. W, F. EAMES 1,872,915

ELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Jan. 20, 1950 SM INVENTOR WI/fia/I/ f. fumes A'ITTORNEY Patented Aug. 23,1932

' mmasmss:

PATENTJQFFICE w iinmmnnmnsi on nnenwoon, rnnnsynvenm,nssrenon To wns'rmeisousn nnnc'rmca MaNnFAc'r'Unmo couPnNY, a consonant: or PENNSYLVANIA fnnnvaron coNTnoLsYsrEM a mation and Iamiar eo, 1980. semi No.- 421,981.

My invention relates to systems of elevatori control and more particularly to systemsof: controlfor elevators wherein the selective directional control is effected by means of single. 5 up and down push buttons mounted within the elevator car.. I I i In department stores and other buildings where the floor-to-floor"traflic is comparatively heavy, an elevator car, in making a.

trip from one to the otherof the terminal floors, is usually requiredto come to a; stop at each of the intermediate floors. It frequently: happens, however, by reason of unusual traffic conditions onone or more ofthe floors, or

5 related. causes, that it becomes desirable for the elevator car to proceed past certain of: the floors on a given tri withoutstopping.

I am aware that the PIlOI'. art has producedv elevator-control systems of the'general type 0 contemplated by my invention but all of such types with which I am familiar have certain limitations which l propose toovercomeand. which I shall outline generally in the follow in paragraphs. 5

ecentdevelopments in elevator systems. have given rise to driving meanscapableof driving the elevator car at speeds greater than the speed which may be accelerated to, and decelerated from, in thecourse of travel between two adjacent floors of a building.

Obviously, the elevator system is most e ciently operated when such higher speeds are utilized. a

Therefore, in'the applications which I now vention, two conditions of operationexist, which are, first, the condition in which the car is required to stop at each floor, and in which the speed is, therefore, limited toa 40-? speed which may be accelerated to, and decelerated from, in the course of the one-floor run, and, second, the condition in which certain of the floors are to be bypassed, and in which it is, therefore,.permissible to operate the carat a higher speed. a The systems of the prior art, while permits ting the bypassing of certain of the floors, have limited the elevator speed onthe longer runszto the lowerspeed utilized on the one-- floor runs, or, if the possibilityfof higher? find most suitable in which topractice my inarrangement speedshavebeen provided, such provision has 1 been made at the expense of additional con trolling means withinthe elevator car.

My invention, however, contemplates "a system of circuits whereby a single set of up 1 and down pushbuttons within the elevator car may be'selectively operated toprovide the higher speed for the longer runs and the lower speed for the one-,floor runs.

It is an object of my invention, therefore,

to provide an elevator system of-the type wherein momentary actuation of the control means is effective to causethecar to start toward, run to and'stop at, the floor next approached, and wherein a sustained actuation ofthe controlmeans is eifective to cause the type wherein the car is caused to travel at such increased speed as long as the control means are maintained in its actuated position.

3 My invention will be described in the followingspecification, for a better understand ing of'which reference may be had to the accompanying sheet of drawing, in which the sole figure is a wiring diagram illustrating what I now consider to be a preferred circuit by which to practice my inven-. tion.

-Referring to the drawing, I have illustrated an-elevator car C suspended in the usual 'manner by means of a hoisting cable Ca whichpasses over, and is driven by, a hoisting drum D, anduto the other endof yjvhich is attached a suitable counterweight I have illustrated the motive means for the elevator car C asbeing of the Ward-Leonard or variable-voltage type, which comprises a, driving motorMhaving an, armature M and, a shunt, field winding -MF, illustrated herein as connected, for constant energization, across the line conductors L1 and L2 and which is directly connected to, and drives, the armature G of a generator G. The generator G is of the compound-wound type having a series field winding GSF, a separately excited field winding GF, and a. demagnetizing winding GAF. The voltage output of the generator G is ap lied directly, by way of a local circuit, to t e terminals of the armature EM of the elevator hoisting motor EM, which is provided with a separately excited field winding EMF illustrated as connected, for constant energization, across the line conductors L1 and L2, and which is directly connected to, and drives, the hoisting drum D.

The speed and direction of rotation of the elevator motor EM is suitably controlled by varying the direction and value of the output voltage of the generator G, which, in turn, is controlled by varying the value and direction of excitation voltage supplied to the separately excited generator field winding GF. As will be later described in detail, this latter variation is effected by means of suitable up-and-down-direction switches 1 and 2, their associated direction relays 8 and 9, and the accelerating relays 3, 4 and 5, which are controlled from the elevator car by means of the up and down car buttons U and D.

To insure that the car may be stopped accurately level with each landing, I have provided an automatic landing system of the inductor type, representative forms of which are illustrated and described in detail in the copending applications of Edgar M. Bouton, Serial Number 731,921, filed August 14, 1924,

" and Harold \V. iVilliams and Danilo Santini.

Serial Number 279,771, filed May 22, 1928, both of which are assigned to the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.

As described therein, an inductor landing system comprises a plurality of inductor relays, one'for each step of deceleration employed in bringing the elevator motor from full speed to zero speed. Each of the inductor relays comprises a pair of independently movable armature members upon which is mounted a single energizable coil, which, when energized, is normally ineflective to actuate either of the armature members to engage, or cause to be disengaged, the contact members controlled thereby. However, when av magnetizable plate is brought adjacent to either of the movable armature members, a magnetic path of reduced reluctance is provided for that portion of the flux generated by the coil which passes through that armature member, by reason of which, such armature member is actuated to engage, or to be disengaged from the contact members controlled thereby. A similar plate brought adjacent to the other armature member when the coil is energized, will, of course, result in the actuation of that armature member.

In the applications referred to, one of the two armature members is effective to interrupt circuits employed during car travel in the up direction and the other is effective to interrupt circuits employed during car travel in the down direction. In practicing my invention, I employ the inductor relays to control three steps of deceleration, and have, therefore, provided an intermediate-speed inductor relay IL, having armatures ILU and ILD, for the up and down directions, respectively; slow-speed induct-or relay SL, havin armatures SLU and SLD for the up and own directions, respectively, and a stepping inductor relay SR, having armatures SRU and SRD for the up and down directions, respectively. Associated with armatures ILU, SLU and SRU are groups of inductor plates ILU, SLU, and SR'U, one group for each floor, and mounted stationarily in the elevator hatchway. Similarly, groups of inductor plates ILD, SLD, and SR1), one group for each floor, perform a similar function when the car is traveling in the down direction.

Upon actuation of the starting means to cause the car to operate in either direction, the holding circuits for the accelerating and the associated direction switch are 1naintained through the normally closed contact members of the proper inductor relay armatures. As the car, in its movement through the shaft, passes the inductor plates which are stationarily mounted in the hatchway at a predetermined spacing in advance of each floor, the inductor relays are actuated to sequentially deengenerize the accelerating relays and the associated direction switch to 105 thereb bring the car to restaccurately level with t e floor landing.

As will be more apparent from the following description, the inductor relay armatures ILU and ILD are efi'ective to control the 110 intermediate-speed accelerating relay 4, the inductor relay armatures SLU and SLD are effective to control the slow-speed-accelerating relay 3 and the inductor relay armatures SRU and SRD are effective to control the up- 11 and-down-direction switches 1 and 2. while no inductor relay is provided for the highspeed accelerating relay 5, which is placed under the control of a voltage relay 7 the operation of which may best be understood 120 by reference to an assumed operation. The operation of relay TL, which controls the circuit to the coils of the inductor relays. when decelerat ng from high speed, may also best be understood by reference to an assumed 1 5 operation.

Assuming that it is desired to move the elevator car upwardly, the operator thereof may actuate the car button U to complete a circuit to the tip-direction relay 8 and the stop con- 1 trolrelay 6, which' extends fromline ICOII- ductor L1, through conductor 12,the coil of stop control relay 6, conductors 13 and 14, the now closed contact members of up button U, conductor 15, the coil of up-direction relay 8, and conductors 16, 17' and 18, to line con ductorL2., 9

Upon being energized, the stop control relay 6 is actuated to close its contact meme bers ato artially complete a circuit to the highs 'ee accelerating relay 5, the functionof whlch will be later described, and opens its normally closed contac'tmembers b to, interrupt the circuit to the coils of thevarious' inductor relays, thereby rendering these devices inefl'ective-to control the operation of the elevator system. I a

Upon being energized,up-direction relay 8 closes its contact members a to complete a circuit to the up-direction switch 1, which circuit extends from line conductor L1, through conductors 19 and '20, the contact members a of relay 8, conductor 21, the coil of up-direction switch 1, and conductors 22, 23 and 18, to line conductor L2.

Upon being energized, up-direction switch 1 is actuated to close its contact members a, 6, 0,11, e and f, and to open its contact members g. The closing of contact members a of lip-direction switch 1 completes'a circuit for the coil of this switch which is independent of the position oflthebutton U and which places this switch under the control of the stopping inductor relay SR." This circuit extends from line conductor L1, throughfconductors 24, 25 and 26, the' contact members 27 of inductor relay SR controlled by up direction armature SRU, conductor 28, the contact members a of up-direction switch 1, conductor 29 and the coil of up-direction switch 1 and thence to line conductor L2, as previously traced.

The closing of contact members b and c of up-direction switch 1 completes a circuit to the slh arately excited generator field windm Ll thrbugh conductor19, the now closed contact members I) of up-direction switch 1, conductors 30 and 31, the separately excited I field winding GF, conductors 32-and 33, the

contact members 0 of up-direction switch 1, conductor 34, the resistor R and conductor 35, to line conductor L2,

Now being supplied with field excitation of a predetermined value and direction, the

voltage outputof the generator G rises to such value as to cause the elevator motor EM to drive the car upwardly at landing speed.

The closing of contact members d of up; i direction switchlcompletes a circuit to the coil of slow-speed accelerating relay 3, which extends from line conductor L1, through con ductors 24, 25 and 36, the contact members 37' -ofrelay SL, controlled byup-direction armature SLU, conductor 38, the contact which extends from line conductor members (1 of up-direction' switchv 1, 'con ductors, 39 and 40, the coil of accelerating relay'3, and conductor 41, to line conductor L2.

Upon being energized, relay 3 is actuated to close its contact members a to, exclude a portion of the resistor R from the circuit of theseparately excited field winding GF, by

, coil of intermediate speed accelerating relay 4, which extends from line-conductor L1, through conductors 24, 25 and 46, the contact members 47 of intermediate-speed inductor relay IL controlled by lip-direction armature ILU, conductor 48,contact members 6 of up-direction switch 1, conductors 49 and 50, the coil of acceleratingerelay 4 and co ductor 41, to line conductor L2.

Upon being energized, relay 4 is actuated to close its contact members a to exclude an-; other portion of resistor R from the circuit of the separately excited generator field Winding G-F by Way of conductors and 44, the contact members a ofrelay 4 and conductor53. The increase in generator excitation caused thereby results in the acceleration of the elevator motor to its intermediate running speed. e e

c It will be observed that the accelerating relays 3 and 4, are provided with dash-pot retarding devices D3 andeD4, and that these relays are not actuated immediately upon completion of their circuits. It will be understood that the time delay provided may i be varied between wide limits, in accordance with the adjustment of the dash-pot device. In practice, I delay the sequential action of the relays until such time as the voltage of the generator has risen almost to the, value determinedbythe resistance then inthe circuit of the separately excited generator field winding. By so doing, I obtainan acceleration curve for the elevator car best suited to the comfort of the passengers and the efliciency of the system.

It will benoted that the circuits to the up-direction switch 1 and the accelerating relays 3 and 4 are now independent of the car button U and of the relay 8, and that, in order to accelerate the car to the intermediate running speed, this button need be only the inductor relays are inefi'ective to cause deceleration of the car which will, therefore, proceed up or down the elevator shaft without stopping.

If, however, the operator desires to stop the elevator car at the floor adjacent to the starting floor, he may actuate the button U only momentarily, and, by so doing, render the inductor relays effective to stop the car at such next floor.

Assuming that the operator does release the car button U after having initiated motion of the car, the circuit to the stop control relay 6 is interrupted, which relay, therefore, opens its contact members a to interrupt the circuit of relay 8, and recloses its contact members 6. The closing of contact members 6 completes a circuit to the coil of intermediate-speed inductor relay IL, which circuit extends from line conductor L1, through conductors 19, 54 and 55, the contact members 7' of rip-direction switch 1, conductors 56, 57 and 58, the coil of inductor relay IL, conductors 59 and 60, the normally closed contact members a of relay TL, conductor 61, the normally closed contact members 6 of stop control relay 6 and conductor 18, to line conductor L2.

As the car, in its upward movement, passes the inductor plate ILU, the armature ILU of relay IL is actuated to open its contact members 1-7, thereby interrupting the circuit to the interniediate speed accelerating relay 1. Upon being deenergized, relay 4 reinserts a portion of the resistor B into the circuit of the separately excited generator field winding GP to thereby reduce the generator voltage and, consequently, the elevator motor speed.

Upon being deenergized, relay 4 closes its contact members 6 to complete a circuit to the coils of inductor relays SL and SR, which circuit extends, as traced for the coil of relay IL, through conductor 57, thence, in parallel relation, through the coils of relays SL and SR, conductor 62, the normally closed contact members 6 of relay 4 and conductor 64-. and thence to line conductor L2. previously traced for the coil of relay IL.

It will be noted, therefore, that the car button U must be released prior to the time that the relay IL passes the associated inductor plate ILU if the inductor relays are to be rendered effective to cause the car to come to a stop at the floor next approached. If the button U is maintained in the actuated position until after the relay IL passes the inductor plate ILU, it will be understood that the car will proceed pastthe next floor but will b brought to a stop at the first floor after such next floor.

As the car in its upward movement brings the inductor relay SL adjacent to the associated inductor plate ILU, the armature SLU of this relay is actuated to open its contact members 37 to thereb interruptfhe c'ir cuit to the coil of the acce crating relay 3.

Upon being deenergized, accelerating relay 3 opens its contact members a to reinsert the remaining portion of resistor R in the circuit of the winding GF, thereby reducing the generator voltage and causing the elevator motor EM to decelerate to its landing speed.

Similarly, as the inductor relay SR is brought adjacent to the associated inductor plate SRU', the contact members 27 thereof are actuated to open position to interrupt the circuit to the coil of up-direction switch 1.

Upon being deenergized, up-direction switch 1 interrupts the circuit to the se arately excited generator field winding (5 F, and completes a circuit to the demagnetizing winding GAF, extending from one terminal of the generator G, through the winding GAF, conductor 75, the normally closed contact members 9 of lip-direction. switch 1, conductor 76, the normally closed contact members g of down-direction switch 2, and conductor 77, to the opposite terminal of the generator G.

The demagnet-izing winding GAF is so wound and mounted upon the generator G as to oppose, and quickly reduce to zero, the residual magnetism of the generator.

For purposes of simplicity, I have not illustrated the usual magnetic brake which is employed to bring the car quickly to rest upon the deenergn'zation of the' direction switch.

Upon deenergization of the up-direction switch 1, therefore, the car is quickly brought to rest at the landing, at which time the operator may open the door to admit or dis charge passengers.

My invention, as thus far described, provides an elevator-control system well suited for use in department stores or buildings wherein it is desired to stop the car at each floor in a given trip in either direction.

As hereinbefore noted, however, there may be times at which it is desirable to proceed past certain of the floors without stopping, thereat, and, in such instances, it is highly desirable that the elevator car can be caused to accelerate to, and run at, a higher speed than is attainable on the one-floor runs.

I have, therefore, provided means where-' by, if the car button is maintained in the actuated position longer than a predetermined time, the elevator motor is caused to accelerate to a higher speed, and to run at such speed as long as the car button is maintained in the actuated position. I shall refer, in the claims, to such high-speed operation as being responsive to a sustained actuat-ion of the control devices U and D.

The means to accomplish this result may be made responsive to any suitable timing mechanism. Since the rise of generator voltage upon application offield excitation is direct y proportional to the time during which the excitation is applied (until the maximum voltage is reached), I now find that a relayconnected across the terminals of the generator constitutes 'a' convenient method of attaining my object.

I have illustrated, therefore, a relay 7, the coil of which is connected directly across theterminals of the generator by way of conductors 78 and 79. Inow find it desirable to design the relay 7 to be operably responsive to a generator voltage just slightly lower than a generator voltage corresponding to the intermediate running speedof the elevator motor. By so arranging the device, it will be'seen that the operator, by releasing the car button Uor 'D at: any time before the elevator attains its intermediate running speed, may cause the elevator car to make a'stop at the floor adjacent to the starting floor; and that, by maintaining the car button in its actuated position a longer time, i. e.,' by providing a sustained actuation, may cause the car to accelerate to, and run at, its high speed. I

Assuming, therefore, that, upon starting, the operator does maintain the car button U in the actuated condition longer than this predetermined interval, or until the voltage of the generator G rises to a value sufiiciently high to actuate the voltage relay 7, a circuit is completed for the coil of the high-speed accelerating relay 5, which circuit extends from line conductor L1, through conductor 11, the contact members a of relay 6' (which it will be remembered are closed since the car button U is in the actuated position), conductor 65, the now closed contact members a of relay 7 and conductor 66, a junction point 67, conductor 68, the coil of accelerating relay i and conductors 69 and 70, to line conductor The closing of contact members a ofrelay 5 excludes the remaining portion of resistor R from the circuit of the separatelyexcited generator field winding GF by way of conductor 71, contact members a of relay 5 and conductor 43. The excitation of the generator G is, therefore, increased to a maximum, and the elevator motor is caused to accelerate to, and run at, its high speed. c

' The closing of contact members a of relay 7 also completes a circuit to the coil of the 56 relay TL, which circuit extends from line conductor L1 to the junction point 67, as previouslv traced, thence, through conductor-72, the coil of relay TL and conductor 70. to line conductor L2. The relay TL is provided 00 with a dash-potv arrangement whereby, upon deenergization, a definite time elapses prior,

to the closing of the contact members thereof. The object of this provision will be made apparent in a following paragraph.

a As the elevator car approaches a floor at are ineflective to cause slow down and stopwhich it is desired to' make a stop, theoperator may release the button U to deenergize the stop control relay 6 which, in turn, deenergizes the relay 5-and causes the elevator motor to decelerate to its normal or intermediate running speed. I i

The opening of the contact members a of relay 6 also interrupts the circuit to the coil of the relay TL, but, as described, the contact members a of this relay are not immediately closed by reason of the dashpot device associated therewith.

" Until such timeas the contact members a of the relay TL are closed, the inductor relays 89 ping-of the car since the circuits tothe coi-l of these relays are led therethrough. The time delay in the closing 'ofthe contact members a of the relay TL is determined by the time the elevator motor requires in decelerating from the high speed to-the intermediate speed, it being, ofcourse, uncle, sirable that the relay ILU should be per mitted to deenergize the relay 4 prior to the time at which the motor has decelerate'd to a speed slightly in excessof the intermediate speed. i i

1 If, therefore, the operator releases the button U when the elevator caris at a distance in advance of the inductor plate ILU less than the distance moved by the'car while the elevator motor is decelerating-from high speed to intermediate speed, the inductor relay IL will be rendered inefi'ective to cause the car to decelerate toits slow speed. Under these conditions then, the car will proceed past that floor and will be brought to a stop at the next floor approached. I Since operation in the down directionis i all respects similar to operation in the up direction, with the exception that the down car button D, the down-direction switch2, and the inductor relay armatures ILD. SLD and {SRD replace the up car button U, the updirection which'l, and the inductorrelay T10 armatures ILU, SLU1 and SRU, it is not believed. that .a' detailed" description thereof is necessary.

It willbe seen. therefore, that I have provided an elevator-control system adapted for intermediate-speed service wherein stops are made at each floor and which is also adapted to be operated at a higher speed in the event that certain of the floors do not require the services of the car. It will be also noted that I have provided these two features of operati'on without the addition of additional control means within the elevator car C and have so arranged the system that the selectiveoperation is obtained by merely actuating a single control device for a longer or a shorter period. p

Since modifications of :my invention will be apparent to th'ose'skilled in the art and NM since the present'embodiment of my invention is merely illustrative, I do not wish to be limited to the details thereof exceptas defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an elevator control system, an elevator, motive means therefor, a control device actuable to a singlecircuit-closing position, intermediate-speed control means for said motive means operably responsive to a momentary actuation of said control device, a self-holding circuit for said intermediatespeed control means independent of said control device, stopping means for said motive means effective only when said control device is released and interposed in said selfholding circuit, high-speed control means for said motive means operably responsive to a sustained actuation of said control device, and means effective after actuation of said high-speed control means to render said stopping means ineffective for a predetermined time after said control device is released.

2. In an elevator-control system, an elevator, operable past a plurality of floors, motive means therefor, control -means for said motive means eifective to cause said elevator to travel only the distance between adjacent floors, control means for said motive means effective to cause said elevator to travel a greater distance, a control device actuable to a single circuit-closing position for rendering both of said control means effective, and means dependent upon the length of time said control device is actuated to determine which of said control means is to be effective.

3. In an elevator-control system, an elevator operable past a plurality of floors, motive means for said elevator, a control device actuable from a normal to a single circuit-closing position, intermediate-speed control means for saio motive means operably responsive to a momentary actuation of said control device, high-speed control means for said motive means operably responsive to a sustained actuation of said control device, stopping means for said motive means effective only when said control device is in said normal position and operably responsive to the actuated condition of said intermediate-speed control means to stop said elevator at the next floor approached by said elevator, and means operably responsive to the actuation of said high-speed means to render said stopping means ineffective at said next floor.

4. In an elevator-control system, an elevator operable past a floor, motive means for said elevator, a control device actuable from a normal to a single circuit-closing position, control means for said motive means operably responsive to a momentary actuation of said control device to cause said. elevator to travel the distance between two floors, control means for said motive means operably responsive to a sustained actuation of said control device to cause said elevator to travel while said control device is actuated,and means efl'ective after said last named means has been actuated to continue the travel of said car a predetermined time after said control device is returned to said normal position.

5. In an elevator-control system, an elevator operable past a plurality of floors, motive means for said elevator, means for stopping said elevator at said floors, means for starting said elevator comprising a control device actuable from a normal to a single circuit-closing position, means operably responsive to a momentary actuation of said control device to cause said carto travel at an intermediate speed subject to the stopping means at the next floorapproached bysaid elevator, and means operably responsive to a sustained actuated condition of said control device to cause said elevator to travel at a higher speed subject to none of said stopping means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of January,

WILLIAM F. EAMES. 

